A wealth of possibility: Steps to promote DAF giving

Written by Jenn Thompson | Aug 20, 2025 4:23:32 PM

In 2023, charitable assets in all Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) totaled over $251 billion, and the compound annual growth rate for those charitable assets from 2019 through 2023 was 14%. If you haven’t yet made the move to promote DAF giving, you’re missing out on a growing revenue stream.

As a way for individuals to streamline their giving and improve tax benefits, DAFs can empower your donors to sustain their support. Take the following steps to add this worthwhile fundraising to your organization’s gains.

Two action steps to take

1. Install a DAF widget

There are a variety of DAF widgets available that enable DAF holders to log in and easily make donations to a specified charity. We’ve listed a few choices, their cost, implementation and funds they include. Here are those options:

DAFDirect Widget

Cost: Free

Implementation: This widget can be installed by using JavaScript that embeds the widget on your webpage or a link that opens the DAFDirect website.

DAF Funds: Fidelity Charitable, DAFGiving360 and BNY Mellon

DAF Widget

Cost: Free

Implementation: This widget is installed using JavaScript to embed the widget on your website.

DAF Funds: 900+ funds are available in this widget. The donor searches for their DAF and is taken to that organization’s DAF site to log in.

Chariot

Cost: Subscription-based service that includes reporting on DAF donations

Implementation: There are multiple ways to implement the Chariot DAF tools. They include a button, link, iframe and options to integrate a DAF checkout on a donation form.

DAF Funds: 1,000+ DAFs are included.

2. Promote DAF giving

As of 2023, there were nearly 1.8 million individual DAF accounts in the United States, and the number of accounts grew 3.2% from 2019 through 2023. There is a plethora of people equipped to give through this channel, so be sure to let your donors know that you’ve enabled DAF giving.

Here are some ideas and considerations to get your DAF fundraising off the ground:

Ensure your organization appears in search results when donors look up your name in their DAF portals.
Create a “Ways to Give” webpage with a clear link to DAF information and a donation widget.
Set up your campaigns for DAF coding so that DAF donors are included in your strategies and year-end appeals.
Integrate consistent DAF messaging across all communication channels, including direct mail, emails and newsletters. Explain how donors can use their funds to give directly to the causes they care about.
If you have a strong DAF donor base, consider creating a targeted campaign for DAF giving.
Model your data to identify likely DAF donors and target them with personalized messages.
Connect and collaborate with financial advisors and institutions that manage DAFs. They can advocate for your mission and recommend you to their clients.

See how our clients are talking to donors about DAF through direct mail, digital and data modeling.

DAFs empower people to advance their finances and their giving, so why not empower them to give to your organization? With these few steps and consistent touchpoints, you can open a new opportunity for your mission. Nervous to embark on this endeavor? Feel free to reach out to us to start the conversation.

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